A Bellbird man has urged the Coalition state government to delay the Newcastle rail line closure until after the March election, reports the Maitland Mercury:

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“This current plan to remove the heavy rail into Newcastle beggars belief,” he said.

“This facility services the people of not only Newcastle but the entire Hunter Valley and Central Coast in a way that the light rail could not. It simply does not make sense.

“Mr Baird, our Premier, tells me that he has Newcastle’s best interests at heart. Why on earth would a government remove a public utility that works [and] that does not cost as it is already there?”

Many commuters from the greater Hunter fear they will be left with poor public transport services to access the city after the line is closed.

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“I’m not sure where the government was getting its facts, but as a regular rail traveller to Newcastle it seems that all commuters and local people I have spoken to do not want the heavy rail removed,” he said.